The ongoing conflict in Yemen has taken a new turn as the UAE has formally expressed its regrets regarding a recent statement from Saudi Arabia, which it claims contains “substantive inaccuracies.” This response comes amid rising tensions related to military activities in the region. The UAE’s position sheds light on the complexities of the alliances in Yemen and underscores the need for dialogue and accurate representation of events. The Emirati statement specifically addresses the claims made by Saudi Arabia and highlights the importance of maintaining regional stability.
The UAE expressed its “regret” over the statement issued by the Saudi Foreign Ministry regarding recent events in Yemen, asserting that it contains “substantive inaccuracies.” The Emirati Foreign Ministry stated, “The UAE expresses its regret over the contents of the statement from our brotherly Saudi Arabia and the substantive inaccuracies it includes. We categorically reject the involvement of the UAE in the tensions between the Yemeni parties.”
The statement also expressed “disapproval” of what it described as allegations that any Yemeni party was directed to carry out military operations affecting Saudi security. It added, “We affirm our commitment to the security and stability of our brotherly Saudi Arabia and our full respect for its sovereignty and national security.” The statement emphasized that the UAE’s position since the beginning of events in Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra has been “to work towards containing the situation and supporting de-escalation.”
It noted that the UAE’s presence in Yemen came at the invitation of the legitimate government and as part of the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia, affirming that “the handling of recent developments must be done responsibly to prevent escalation and based on reliable facts.”
Saudi Position
A statement from the Saudi Foreign Ministry emphasized that the actions taken by the UAE in Yemen are “extremely serious,” stressing the importance of Abu Dhabi responding to Yemen’s request to withdraw its military forces from its territory within 24 hours. The statement asserted that the UAE’s actions in Yemen “do not align with the foundations upon which the Support for Legitimacy Coalition was established,” expressing Riyadh’s regret over the UAE’s “pressure on the Southern Transitional Council to conduct operations in Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra.”
It stated that Saudi Arabia is “committed to the security, stability, and sovereignty of Yemen, and to the full support of the President of the Presidential Leadership Council.” It emphasized the importance of halting any military or financial support to any party within Yemen, considering any threat to Saudi security a “red line that we will not hesitate to address with all necessary measures.”
The Saudi statement reiterated that the southern issue is “just,” and that the only way to address it is through dialogue, expressing hope that the UAE will take the “expected steps” to maintain bilateral relations between the two countries.
Clashes in Hadhramaut
It is noteworthy that the President of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad Al-Alimi, had previously called for all Emirati forces to exit all Yemeni territories within 24 hours, declaring a state of emergency throughout the republic starting today for a duration of 90 days. Meanwhile, the Support for Legitimacy Coalition in Yemen targeted weapons and combat vehicles at the port of Al-Mukalla in Hadhramaut after they arrived on two ships coming from Fujairah.
On Saturday, the coalition announced in a statement that it decided to take military action against violations by the Southern Transitional Council in Hadhramaut, in response to a request from the President of the Yemeni Presidential Council. The “Southern Transitional” forces, which seek the separation of southern Yemen from the north, had carried out sudden military movements in early December, later declaring control over Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra, before affirming their rejection of local and regional calls to withdraw.